Up to €20m in support for the suckler sector is in danger of not being drawn down as farmers hold out on signing up for an additional year of the Beef Data and Genomic Programme (BDGP).

BDGP contracts were due to expire at the end of 2020, but a one year extension has been offered by the Department of Agriculture.

To date, 55% of farmers eligible for the scheme have responded to a request from the Department to indicate their interest in continuing in the scheme. Of those that have responded 98% have applied to continue in the scheme.

Payments

There are an estimated 24,800 eligible farmers and the closing date for response is Friday 15 January 2021.

Payments to those who have yet to respond are worth an estimated €20m. The 270 farmers who have already opted out of the scheme will forego payments just shy of €500,000.

A text message will issue today, Monday 11 January, to those farmers who have not yet responded to the Department asking if they wish to extend their BDGP contract by one year.

They will have three days from the receipt of the text to respond with the option to reply ‘DAFM Y’ (for Yes) or ‘DAFM N’ (for No). Farmers may also apply by logging on to www.agfood.ie

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue stressed there was very little extra effort needed to meet the requirements in 2021.

Importance

“I am very aware of the importance of this scheme for the farming community,” the Minister said.

“It not only provides a significant financial boost for both individual farmers and the wider rural economy with over €254 million paid out since it started in 2015, but the scheme also helps reduce Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time introducing genetic technology into the national herd thereby improving farm profitability.”

BDGP payments for 2020 worth more than €37.8m have been issued to farmers with the average payment worth €1,800.

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